AND THEY ARE STILL SCRATCHING A WEEK LATER AS BED BUGS PARTY HAVE SET BASE IN BULAWAYO Report by Chronicle Zimbabwe June 9, 2025 THE bloodsuckers have landed in Bulawayo, and residents of Mpopoma’s Ward Nine are scratching, spraying and suffering as bed bugs turn their lives into crawling and itching nightmare. After months of laughing at Harare’s viral memes of people battling bed bug infestations, reality has struck Bulawayo. The biting beasts are now sinking their fangs into residents of Block 46 and the flats behind Patapata Beer Garden, leaving a trail of itchy bodies, sleepless nights and rising frustration. When a Chronicle news crew visited the area, a woman from Block 46, with face, neck and hands covered in red welts, was scratching furiously as she relived her agony. Siphiwe Moyo narrates how she and her family are attacked by bed bugs every night in Mpopoma yesterday “These bugs have turned our lives into a nightmare,” she said. “We haven’t had a peaceful night in weeks. They bite my kids too. We’ve tried everything. Nothing works.” The bites are bad. The embarrassment is worse. Some residents say the shame is keeping them silent. “This is hard to talk about,” said Miss Siphiwe Moyo, another victim. “People will laugh at you. But we are suffering. We are tired. We can’t sleep at all. These bugs are winning.” Residents said they’ve alerted the Bulawayo City Council, only to be told to pay US$47 per household for fumigation which many said they cannot afford. “That amount is simply out of reach for most of our elderly residents,” said Ward 9 residents’ chairperson, Mr Stanslous Dube. “The infestation is real. Block 46 and the flats near Patapata are the worst-hit. People are begging for help.” Ward Secretary for Environment, Mr Dumisani Moyo, added: “This problem is spreading, and many are too ashamed to report it. We’re appealing to Government to intervene.” Ward Councillor Donaldson Mabutho promised to visit the affected areas. Bulawayo Mayor Clr David Coltart said he had not received a report on the bed bugs infestation. What started in Harare has now spread to Bulawayo. In Harare, entire suburbs have been battling the bugs since early this year. Now, experts warn that if left unchecked, Mpopoma’s outbreak could spread to other suburbs. The Ministry of Health and Child Care, together with councils and pest control firms, has launched fumigation campaigns at schools and hospitals across the country, with mixed results. “Many people are boiling water, using paraffin, or experimenting with other homemade remedies but bed bugs are tough. They hide in furniture, clothing, luggage, and they’re spreading fast,” said a health official who refused to be named. Warm temperatures make things worse, so residents are relatively better-off in winter. Heat speeds up their breeding, and Zimbabwe’s dry season gives them the perfect environment to multiply and invade more homes. This is not just a Zimbabwean disaster. Bed bugs are a global menace. Paris was in panic during the 2023 Fashion Week as hotels and trains were crawling with the bugs. New York, Chicago, London, Johannesburg, Mumbai and Sydney have all reported major outbreaks in homes, cinemas, hospitals and transport systems. Once they strike, bed bugs are almost impossible to eliminate without professional fumigation, and even then, re-infestation is common if communities don’t act together. Health experts are calling for a national emergency response, warning that the pests are more than just a nuisance. They cause mental stress, insomnia, and long-term skin problems. More worryingly, their presence highlights gaps in urban sanitation. As for Mpopoma’s residents, the memes have stopped being funny. The bugs are here and they bite. They are not going away. Until someone acts. The Herald-Zimbabwe 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑫𝒆𝑴𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒐𝒕𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒔 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒔𝑨𝒑𝒑 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒍: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDHMyH4tRrlk8sCtG0P